The Champion is a Faller
by PumpknHead
Summary: Dangerous creatures are wreaking havoc on Alola-the so-called 'Ultra Beasts'. Their appearances are increasing exponentially, threatening the safety of Alola as the region and its people become infected with the preternatural energy Ultra Beasts release. Leilani, Alola's Champion, partners with the International Police to stop the spread of the dangerous monsters.
1. Chapter 1

"I have a letter for you. A certain... interesting party is interested in you."

I stood idly, eyes focused on the unmarked envelope resting gently in the palms of my hands. Whoever sent this prioritized me and my strength above every other trainer in Alola. I was never going to get used to that—being Alola's greatest interest.

The morning breeze almost blew the delicate letter out of my hands as I stood out on my lawn. The lightness of the envelope was off-putting; I was used to letters coming with some sort of gift inside. The message must have been a request for my assistance, rather than something written by an obsessive fan. My curiosity was piqued, and I felt obliged to give the letter some attention.

I thoughtlessly moved to open the envelope, but quickly stopped. Scolding myself under my breath, I eyed the neighborhood while hastily shoving the letter into the pocket of my sweatpants. If this message was important, I couldn't risk having some stranger—or worse, a spy—reading it over my shoulder. It was entirely possible that the author had kept it vague to avoid that, but taking that risk was pointless when my house was mere feet from me. I scanned my surroundings suspiciously once more before turning around and re-entering my home.

From the front door, I spotted my mom resting on the back porch, gently stroking the Meowth snoring on her lap. After travelling across Alola for upwards of ten years, it felt odd to see her Meowth's crème fur against my Persian's Alolan lavender fur. Whenever our Pokémon were near each other, the contrast was strong enough for me to think, for a split-second, that my mom's Pokémon was shiny. I knew that was ridiculous, since living beings naturally change and adapt to different environments, but I still occasionally found myself questioning her partner.

I looked away from my mom and walked into my bedroom, collapsing onto my unkempt bed with a gentle _thud_. The mailman had caught me only minutes after I had woken up, so I hadn't had the time yet to tidy my room. After laying for a moment, I stood back up and lazily made the bed. I didn't focus on making it look perfect, because I wanted to get to the letter as quickly as possible. Finally, sitting on the still slightly messy bed, I carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the crisp white paper, folded perfectly into thirds.

My eyes ran over the neat cursive letters. _Please grant us your power again; the situation is once again out of hand. Please visit detectives Looker and Anabel in the motel on Route 8._

My eyes widened in realization as I reached the names at the bottom of the letter. I had almost expected the letter to be from them; the delivery was almost identical, if not exactly the same as, the first time they had summoned me.

I sighed, realizing they wanted me to meet up with them in person. That day was supposed to mark the beginning of my first vacation after five years of being Champion. Though, I knew that if members of the International Police were personally requesting my presence, something serious must have happened. I begrudgingly picked myself up, heading to the closet and pulling out a blouse and a pair of dress shorts. I quickly changed from my cozy pajamas to the constricting outfit, then grabbed my shoulder bag off of the desk chair next to my bed and threw it over my shoulder. I grabbed my belt off of my desk, wrapping it around my shorts and making sure all of my Pokéballs were secured tightly in the loops of my belt.

I stepped out, looking around for my mom. She was still on the porch, petting Meowth and watching wild Pokémon play in the tall grass just beyond our house. My mom laughed sweetly as she noticed two Rockruffs playing rough with each other, her soft chuckle bringing a smile to my face.

Considering how unbearably busy I was as a Champion, I thought it was a blessing to still be living with my mom. I loved her dearly, and would never see her otherwise. Working as much as I did and going home to an empty house would kill me.

I frowned again, remembering the letter. If something big enough for the International Police to request my assistance had happened, I would probably be gone for a while. This was supposed to be my vacation, my time with my mom.

Groaning, I shuffled towards the glass sliding door and opened it just enough to stick my head through. "Mom?"

My mom turned to face me, smiling sweetly. Her earth-brown hair cascaded down her back, catching my eye as it rustled gently in the breeze. Her emerald green eyes glowed with a happiness I hadn't seen in her for a while—a happiness I only saw when we spent time together. I frowned, hesitant to break the news to her.

"Good morning, gorgeous!" she started, pulling Meowth closer to her and cuddling with him. "Are you excited for your week off?"

My eyes snapped away from hers, focusing on the ground. I opened the sliding door the rest of the way, stepping onto the porch. "Arceus, I wish that was the case. My vacation has been revoked, apparently. The International Police needs my help, which means something serious has happened."

My mom's mood plummeted. She sighed, dropping her gaze. "How important is it?"

"The last time the International Police needed my help, it was because the Ultra Beasts were terrorizing Alola. If this situation is anything like that, then that means lives are at stake. I wish so bad that I could blow this mission, but I can't risk innocent lives for the sake of my vacation."

My mom stood up slowly, placing Meowth gently on the ground. He immediately ran off of the porch, galloping towards the wild Pokémon to play with them. I smiled softly as I watched him play tag with a wild Pikipek.

My mom looked up at me, smiling weakly. It was a fake smile—I could tell by the cloud of misery drowning the green in her eyes—but it was a smile that told me everything would be okay. I would finish the mission, then I would take my vacation and give my mom the mother-daughter week that she deserved.

My mom put her hands on my shoulder. "I know you don't have a choice in this matter," she said quietly, doing her best to mask the sadness in her words, "so please protect Alola. Do whatever you need to do to keep your region safe, but you're going to take a week off the moment this mission is over."

I smiled gently, hugging my mom tightly. "Of course. I'll keep you updated, and will hopefully see you soon." I didn't let go of my mom for a few seconds—I didn't want to ever let go—out of fear of the time I'd spend away from her. I eventually released her from my tight grasp, waving goodbye sadly before heading back into the living room. I closed the sliding door behind me, watching my mom's gaze stay on me for a few moments as she sat back down in her seat. Meowth, noticing that, stopped playing with the wild Pokémon and ran ecstatically back to her lap. I would miss that Pokémon.

I turned around once my mom starting petting him again, rummaging through my bag to make sure I had everything I needed. I grabbed a protein bar from my pantry, eating it quickly and throwing the wrapper into the trash next to me. I shut the pantry door quietly, careful not to grab my mom's attention, before heading back out to the front lawn. I'd have loved to make a big, tasty breakfast, but I knew I didn't have that kind of time.

I gave myself a second to stretch, appreciating the temperate summer morning. I watched as the trees blossomed in the morning light, their vibrant green leaves rustling in the breeze. It wouldn't be long until the life in the leaves died, replacing the green with brown. Some leaves were already beginning to show traces of brown, as if they were infected with some contagious disease. I would miss the summer.

I took one more look around the peaceful neighborhood, as more of a goodbye than a suspicion, before calling my Ride Charizard.

When I had first met Charizard, he had no experience as a ride Pokémon. He was slow, he didn't always show up when I called him, and he got lost frequently. I began training him in both speed and accuracy, and after two years of pushing his limits, he had grown to be one of Alola's top Ride Pokémon. His newfound talent was especially critical in times of need, when I needed quick transportation during a mission. I knew I could count on him for anything, then.

He didn't disappoint me, arriving in front of me in less than a minute. I didn't know where he flew in from, but I knew that even from Poni Island, his immense speed would have him here in minutes.

I hastily hopped onto him, wrapping my arms firmly around the base of his neck. "Route 8, Akala Island," I requested immediately.

He nodded silently, shooting off of the ground the moment he knew I was secure. My entire body tensed as he took off, surprised by the sudden change of speed and altitude. That must have been a new record for him.

I stared into the distance as he flew, watching the world fade to gradients of blue and green, or blue and grey when we passed over cities. The harsh whistle of the wind Charizard's flight created drowned out the sound of the morning rush—a commotion that was loud even on the weekend. It felt as if everything beyond Charizard and I had ceased existing, being replaced with a world or vibrant gradients. It only lasted for a few moments, however, as Charizard crossed islands quickly and slammed seconds later onto the ground in front of the Route 8 Pokémon Center. I was left momentarily dazed from the sudden impact, staying on Charizard for a moment to collect myself.

I slid off of Charizard, watching silently as he flew away without so much as a "goodbye". That was just how Charizard was—our relationship was technically professional, and I doubted that he felt any sort of personal bond towards me. Once the orange blur had disappeared over the horizon, I turned to my right and began walking towards the motel barely peeking over the horizon. It wasn't a long walk—it took only a couple of minutes to reach the motel.

Now, the only challenge was determining which room Looker and Anabel were in.

It wouldn't be an overwhelming challenge, as there was only a small row of available rooms, but I wasn't keen on knocking on every door and hoping for the best.

Those two were part of the International Police's top force for a reason—they were smart, and always one step ahead. I knew they must have left some sign for me, something beyond the letter to hint at which room they had rented.

I eyed each room, searching thoroughly for any small details and discrepancies. I knew it wouldn't be too subtle, so I could eliminate things like scratches on the doors from my list of possible clues. It didn't take me long to find the now obvious culprit—a blue doormat where the rest were green. Praying that I had found the actual clue, and that I wasn't completely overthinking this, I walked up to the door and knocked gently.

The door swung open almost immediately, my skeptical gaze melting to one of relief as my eyes met Looker's. A broad, almost child-like grin grew on Looker's face as he turned his head to face Anabel. She was still in the back of the motel, barely standing up from her seat at the small kitchen table. "I told you she would figure it out. That's ten bucks you owe me."

Anabel rolled her eyes playfully, pushing her chair in and walking towards the door. "But did she actually find your clue, or was it just luck?" Anabel asked, staring forcefully into my eyes. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Leilani. Tell me, how many doors did you knock on before this one?"

I looked whimsically towards Looker, realizing what was going on. It was a bit unprofessional of him, but I didn't think much of it. "This is the first door I knocked on. Is this about the blue doormat."

Looker chuckled triumphantly, crossing his arms. "See, she figured it out, just like I said she would. Pay up." He uncrossed his arms only to hold out an expectant hand towards Anabel.

Anabel couldn't hide the traces of annoyance laced in her face as she pulled the money out of her pocket and place it slowly in Looker's hand. He smiled as he carefully folded the bill and slid it into his wallet, eliciting a vague smile from Anabel.

I let them have their moment, waiting a moment before interrupting them.

"Anyways," I started cautiously, pulling their gazes towards me. "The letter was vague, but I assume that was for safety reasons. Is it fine if I ask some questions?"

The two nodded simultaneously, Looker stepping away from the door to give me room to walk in. He gestured towards the circular table Anabel was previously sat at, having Anabel and I follow him towards it.

As the door shut behind me, a familiar feeling swept over me. I glanced back and forth between Looker and Anabel, feeling meek in comparison to them. They were so much older than me—Anabel in her late-thirties and Looker in his mid-forties—and I felt inferior to the them because of it. It didn't matter that I was apparently the strongest trainer in Alola, their wisdom and experience felt more meaningful than my Pokémon's strength. I couldn't shake the feeling that I didn't belong, and slouched down in near-shame.

We took our seats silently, but I wasted no time before beginning my interrogation. "For starters, the letter stated that 'the situation is once again out of hand'. Does this mean that Ultra Beasts have something to do with why you guys need me? Also—"

Looker stopped me. "One question at a time, kid." I shot him an irritated stare at 'kid', but said nothing and let him continue. "Yes, the Ultra Beasts are back. We don't know if they just started reappearing, or if they were never gone to begin with, though. They're just... back. We suspect they were gone, but somehow came back, but we have no supporting evidence."

I nodded. "Understandable. Next, how big is the issue? How many Ultra Beasts are confirmed in Alola?"

Looker and Anabel shared an uneasy stare before Looker answered the question. "We're not sure. It's hard to tell before we're at the scene. Remember, during the first mission, when we thought there was only one UB-02 Beauty, but there was actually four? This situation is similar to that. We can't confirm anything besides how many different typed of Ultra Beasts we've spotted."

I nodded, mildly irritated. I didn't know why they decided to call me when they don't seem to have any information I could work with. If they had waited a bit longer, I could have gotten at least one day of vacation time. "Why did you call me with so little information? I can't do much with this."

Looker nodded nervously. "Yeah, I understand your frustration. However, despite our limited knowledge, action is needed now. At least one UB-04 Blaster is rapidly approaching Konikoni City, and we don't have much time to stop them. We must act with what information we currently have in order to protect the citizens of Konikoni City."

I nodded, the irritation leaving me when I realized it wasn't their fault. I continued with the questions, asking more specific 'what-if' questions. I knew I didn't have much time to waste, but I wanted to have a clear strategy going into this battle. I couldn't risk being unprepared when innocent lives were at stake.

Eventually, Looker interrupted me. "Leilani, we need to get going soon. Do you remember Wicke, the woman working for the Aether Foundation?"

I nodded, unsure of why he brought her up. "Yeah, I know her. Why?"

"She's going to be helping us," Looker explained. "but you can't tell anyone about that."

"Why not?" I asked, shifting uncomfortable in my seat. "We were open about her manufacturing Beast Balls for us during the first mission. Has something changed since then?"

"The International Police doesn't trust her anymore," Looker revealed. "They've banned her from even interacting with us because she worked for Lusamine, but we can't catch Ultra Beasts with normal Pokéballs. She's working secretly to improve the Beast Balls for us, giving these balls to a new employee that will take the credit for her invention. The International Police believe that this employee created a more powerful Beast Ball, so we've got this lie covered."

I nodded hesitantly. It seemed cruel that Wicke would be deemed a villain when she was the biggest help to the team, but I knew we had no choice. All I could do was make sure I gave her the thanks she deserved.

"That's rather unfair," I replied, staring blankly at the wall. "But I understand their suspicion. She didn't stop or report Lusamine, so I guess that can arouse suspicion that she supported her and would turn on us later on."

Looker nodded solemnly. "Exactly the International Police's belief."

I groaned, trying to change the subject. "When will we receive the Beast Balls?"

"Today," Anabel interjected, turning to read the clock across the room. "In fact, Looker's right. We need to hurry; we've lost precious time."

I nodded, wasting no time in standing up and pushing my chair in. "Let's go now, then."

Looker nodded, standing up quickly. He winced as he pushed his chair in, resting his hand on his back as if in pain. The moment he noticed me staring, he dropped his hand and tried to act like he hadn't been doing that.

We held eye contact for a moment, but he quickly shifted his gaze to meet Anabel's. "You ready?"

"Whenever you two are," Anabel replied, straightening her shirt. I nodded, heading hastily outside while the other two trailed behind me.

Looker chuckled as I called for Charizard. "I wish I still had the kind of energy you have, Leilani." I laughed awkwardly, unsure of how to reply.

Charizard took no time to get back to me, ready to fly us anywhere within seconds. I climbed quickly onto Charizard, Looker following somewhat clumsily behind me. Anabel climbed onto the back of Charizard, wrapping her arms around Looker's waist. Looker wrapped his hands around my waist, clutching me tight. He had always been afraid of the speeds my Charizard reached.

"To the Aether Paradise," I instructed. "You remember where that is?"

Charizard nodded, rocketing off as he did before. Looker cried out in shock, making me laugh. If Anabel laughed as well, I couldn't hear it over the win crying around us.

"He goes fast, huh?" I shouted over the shrieking wind. I looked behind me and saw a pale Looker nodding in confirmation. "Are you okay, Looker? You look like you're about to throw up."

Looker gave me a feeble thumbs up, his lips pinched tightly shut. I chuckled and turned back to face forward again. We were moving too fast to figure out where we were, but it seemed we were already above the ocean seeing as the world around us was mostly shades of blue.

"Don't worry," I shouted back to Looker. "We'll be there soon."

To Looker's relief, I assumed, I told no lies. Our feet were on the stark white ground of the Aether Paradise less than a minute later.

Looker ran to the edge of the Aether Paradise, vomiting violently into the ocean. I shook my head and chuckled quietly, feeling sympathetic towards him. I decided that next time, I would have Charizard slow down a bit to spare mercy on his stomach. He hobbled back to us, holding his pale face down in embarrassment.

I laughed, patting his back gently. "It's okay, I almost threw up this morning for the same reason."

"But I _did_ throw up," Looker said jokingly, weakly raising his fists towards the sky. "I'm a failure of a passenger!"

We all shared a laugh, the tension from our shared stress disappearing momentarily. Once we settled down, we all took a moment to watch Charizard fly into the distance before trekking into the Paradise.


	2. Chapter 2

I felt a lingering anxiety in remembering the danger Ultra Beasts posed to Alola, but that fear was overridden by the thought of partnering with Leilani again. It had been months since I had spoken to her; neither of us had time to talk once the first Ultra Beast mission had come to a close. I was gifted no free time at my job with the International Police, and they would fire me before they gave me vacation days. In all my eagerness to meet Leilani, I struggled to remind myself that our relationship was strictly professional.

Leilani was stronger than anyone in the International Police, and I knew she would be a vital asset in the mission. I couldn't let myself blow that by letting my instinct to protect her control me. She was far from a kid, and I struggled to realize that when I was so much older than her.

I opened the door quietly, intently scanning the area. My eyes flicked towards any sudden movement; it was never anything out of the ordinary, only a wild Pokémon darting through the nearby grass or a berry falling from its tree. I let myself study the area for a while, looking over everything multiple times before I finally felt satisfied. No one was watching.

I crouched down slowly, turning my head to the right. Next to me rested a small blue welcome mat, recently purchased from a shop in Hau'oli City. I picked it up carefully, quietly ripping the price tag off of it before facing the entrance once more.

I laid the blue mat on my knees, making sure it was steady before reaching for the old, filthy green welcome mat in front of me. I lifted it by its corners, trying my best to avoid the filth left from thousands of pairs of feet trampling it. I placed it next to me, where the blue doormat originally laid, then place the blue welcome mat where the green one used to be. It wasn't hard to remember exactly where the first mat was—the floor where it used to be was bright and clean compared to the wooden paneling around it. I fit the blue mat into the clean rectangle, taking my time to make sure it fit perfectly.

"I doubt she'll pick up on this." I turned my head slowly, my neck cracking quietly as I faced Anabel. I winced in mild pain, rubbing my neck as Anabel smirked condescendingly, shaking her head gently.

I stood up slowly, dusting off my hands as I admired my work. I shut the door and stood still for a moment after it was locked. The clue was subtle, yes, but the color difference was stark. Surely, Leilani would be able to notice an ocean blue doormat against the grass green mats in front of the other rooms. Though, if she did notice it, would she realize it was a hint? Would she think nothing of it?

I shook my head, taking a step back from the old wooden door. Leilani was smart. I knew she would be looking for some indication of which room we were in, since the letter I wrote was so vague. Anabel clouded my mind with doubt, but I had faith in Leilani.

"Leilani's a sharp kid. I have faith in her," I retorted, turning away from the door. Anabel rolled her eyes, accepting my reasoning. She dropped her hands from her hips, heading towards the worn down couch in the center of the motel room. She lowered herself into the seat slowly, sinking down in the the thick cushions.

Even from the other end of the room, I could see her smile melt to a look of dread as she stared into the distance. I knew she was worried—who wouldn't be? When Alola was in danger, what officer wouldn't put the situation before their own desires?

Suddenly, I felt awful.

I sighed, walking towards the couch to join Anabel. I was careful to keep my back straight as I sat down, gripping the arm rest to support myself as I slowly sat down. Anabel's eye's snapped towards me as she noticed me, wiping any sense of fear from her face. I didn't know why she was pretending to feel better than she actually did.

Anabel handed the remote to me with a soft smile. "I don't care what we watch. You can pick."

I nodded, grabbing the remote from her hand. I flicked through the channels, looking for something lighthearted to cheer her up. I finally settling on a cheesy romantic comedy, receiving a dramatic sigh from Anabel in response.

I watched it with her for a few minutes, glancing occasionally in her direction. Despite her initial annoyance, it took mere minutes for her to be completely entranced by the movie. I smiled, turning back towards the movie. I couldn't get into it, but I was happy enough knowing Anabel was distracted.

All things considered, I couldn't help but see Anabel as my closest friend. According to International Police guidelines, our relationship had to stay strictly professional, but I felt an undeniable closeness between us nonetheless. I didn't know if she felt it too, or if I was just growing unnecessarily attached to her.

No matter how close we were, however, I knew I would never venture to confide any my uncertainties in her.

It took a lot to keep up with Anabel on our missions. As much as I wanted to be on her level, I knew I couldn't. She was more dedicated, more strong-willed, and could find it in herself to force her Pokémon to fight for her. I could barely focus on my job, spineless, and couldn't even find it in me to catch a Pokémon.

As much as I tried to improve myself for the sake of my job, I couldn't help but feel disinterested from all of my missions. They were time consuming, taking up any time I could have had to look for what I really wanted. Even in the face of grave danger, I was painfully disconnected from reality and the International Police. Ultra Beasts had the potential to completely wipe out Alola, but they still felt as unimportant as dirt.

I could feel Anabel's gaze shift over to me. I didn't move, only continued to gaze into the distance as I let her study me. She shifted in her seat, scooting back but leaning forward. "Hey, Looker, I have a bet for you."

"Yeah?" I responded, turning to face her. Her eyes were challenging me, a sly smirk playing across her face.

"I bet you ten dollars that Leilani won't get your hint. I'm sure she'll find us eventually, but not on her first attempt and certainly not by the mat. Deal?" Her smirk grew into a cunning grin as she held her hand out towards mine.

Anabel clearly underestimated Leilani; she didn't know her like I did. I chuckled, grabbing her hand and shaking it confidently. "You're on."

Anabel nodded, maintaining eye contact briefly before turning back to the movie. I glued my eyes to the TV, trying to lose myself in the movie and pass time quickly. I couldn't get invested in the movie, however, as it was already past the climax. It was only a matter of minutes before the credits rolled.

It didn't take long for me to grow anxious; after only two minutes, I could feel my previous guilt being replaced with a vivid nervousness plaguing my chest. I knew it would take Leilani a while to arrive, but I still felt more nervous with each passing minute. What if she didn't get the hint? I didn't have any money on me. What would I do if I lost the bet?

My eyes darted between the door and the clock.

Only ten minutes had passed. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I was getting far too riled up over a small bet. I was worrying too much. I watched the credits as they finished rolling off the screen, and forced my eyes to stay still as the next movie began.

I was finally starting to be drawn in by the next comedy when a knock rang through the room. My head snapped towards the door, relief and excitement flooding my chest. I stood up somewhat quickly, stumbling over my feet as I headed towards the door. I heard a chuckle behind me—Anabel had seen my fumble. I ignored her, wrapping my hand around the wobbly door knob. I opened the door slowly.

I breathed a sigh of relief the moment I laid eyes on Leilani. She was here. She had found the clue. She smiled back, a polite smile that filled my tired mind with happiness.

She hardly looked different than the last time I saw her; all I could see was that she was noticeably more muscular. Her clothes were the same style as before: brightly colored, lightweight clothes.

Her vibrant blue eyes gleamed up at me confidently, obviously relieved as well. She had found us. I had won the bet.

A toothy grin painted my face as I turned my head to face Anabel. "I told you she was smart enough to figure it out. I believe you owe me ten dollars."

Anabel's plain face morphed into a sly look, her eyes gleaming sneakily at me. She strutted towards the door, tilting her chin up confidently as she eyed Leilani. My heart sank—I had missed something. I had missed something. Anabel had something up her sleeve. Anabel knew something I didn't.

Anabel looked down on Leilani, her heels making her already tall frame tower over Leilani. Anabel finally broke the silence, talking eerily quietly. "But did she really figure it out?"

Oh no.

Anabel continued, each word rolling out like silk. "Tell me, Leilani, how many doors did you knock on before reaching this one? How did you know this room was ours?"

So, that was Anabel's catch. Leilani found us, but that didn't mean it was because of my hint. I resisted the urge to cross my fingers as I waited for Leilani's reply.

Leilani was clearly confused, and had no time for our shenanigans. She glanced between us, eyebrows furrowed. "This was the first one I knocked on—I figured the blue doormat was a hint."

Ha! I knew I could count on Leilani. I knew there was no reason to underestimate her. I turned to Anabel, an irritating victorious grin plastered on my face.

I held my palm out towards Anabel, wiggling my fingers expectantly. "See, I told you she would figure it out. It's time to pay up for underestimating Leilani."

Anabel rolled her eyes, reaching into the small pocket of her black skinny jeans and pulling out a thin black wallet. She pulled out a neatly folded ten dollar bill—the only bill in her wallet—and placed it on my eager hand. I nodded contently, hastily pulling out my worn brown wallet and hap hazardously shoving the bill inside. Anabel cringed at the dirtiness of the wallet and the now crumpled bill, but said nothing as I shoved my wallet back down the pocket of my coat.

My head turned back to Leilani, face flushing red in embarrassment. I had forgotten that she was there. Anabel faced her as well, smiling softly. "Welcome back."

Leilani smiled politely, nodding back respectfully. "Thank you. If you don't mind, I'd like to dive right into this. Your letter was really vague, so may I ask some questions?"

I nodded, stepping out of the doorway and gesturing to the small round table in the back of the motel. I knew her questions were inevitable, but I was eager to get them over with.

Leilani and Anabel followed me across the dingy motel, seating themselves quietly on rickety seats. It took Leilani to get comfortable in the chair, but she didn't hesitate to interrogate us once she was ready.

Most of Leilani's questions were specific what-if questions on scenarios that wouldn't likely happen. I grew irritated after she rolled out her first few questions, letting Anabel answer them as I zoned out. I threw out answers on the broad questions, but spent the rest of the time silent, arms crossed.

My mind started wandering to the past. I was sure that one year ago, I would be eager to answer those questions. I wouldn't feel the longing that plagued me day and night. I wouldn't have to let Anabel carry my weight in every mission. I would actually be useful.

I couldn't have that anymore. I couldn't be the great detective people said I was. I was a shadow of a former self that I didn't even know anymore. I was a burden.

Looker, the great detective. Looker, solving crimes across the globe. Looker, the hero.

I wish.

"I'm all out of questions," Leilani mumbled.

I flinched at her voice, the sentence snapping my mind out of its depressing fog. I didn't know how long we had been there, but it felt like a torturous eternity. I stifled a deep sigh of relief, eyeing Leilani in near-disbelief. I didn't think anyone could think of more what-if questions than how many she threw at us. I was constantly plagued by anxiety-induced what-if questions, and I still thought she was being excessive.

I stood up slowly, stretching my arms above my head. My back cracked as I stretched, making me wince. I sighed, stopping my stretch.

Leilani and Anabel took a few moments to get their things together. Once they seemed ready, I pushed my chair in and spoke up. "Are you two ready to go?"

They nodded in unison. Anabel readjusted the strap of her bag, making sure it rested comfortably on her shoulder as she responded. "Whenever you are, Looker."

I nodded rather eagerly, heading outside. I hoped that my eagerness seems as eagerness to start the mission, rather than just an eagerness to get out of the cramped motel. Nothing else I did suggested any sort of commitment to the mission, besides actually tagging along.

Once we were grouped outside the motel door, Leilani called for our ride: Charizard. I felt a slight dread at the thought of flying on Charizard; Leilani trained him for speed, and my stomach was far too weak for things like that. I would be lucky if I didn't throw up.

In only seconds, a red blur appeared over the horizon, hurtling towards us at alarming speed. I tried to distract myself from the oncoming scenario.

Charizard landed with a loud _thud_ , sending a slight quake through the ground as Anabel and I started at him in awe. He had been travelling so fast that he looked like nothing more than a smear of color staining the horizon but landed perfectly and suddenly with outstanding precision. I was amazed by the results of Leilani's training.

It was only as Leilani began to climb onto Charizard that I realized just how little I wanted to leave.

Leaving meant I was a part of the team. Leaving meant the mission had begun. Leaving meant I had to be completely devoted to the International Police for an indeterminate amount of time. Leaving meant I couldn't look for my—

"You guys getting on?" Leilani asked, flashing a toothy grin as she wrapped her arms firmly around the base of Charizard's neck.

I nodded, paling. I tried to hide my anxiety, taking quiet, deep breaths in an attempt to bring some color back to my face. I sighed quietly, walking towards Charizard. I hooked my arms over his back, and tried to lift myself up. I was struggling—I didn't have the arm strength Leilani did. Not nearly so.

Leilani chuckled, reaching a muscular arm out towards me. I wheezed out a thanks, allowing her to hoist me onto Charizard. Anabel crawled on behind me with relative ease, making my face flush red in embarrassment. It was better than being pale, at least. Anabel scooted forward, pushing me close to Leilani. Fitting three people on a Charizard was no easy feat.

I wrapped my arms around Leilani's waist, my chest pressed against her head. I tensed up in discomfort, but tried my best to relax. I wasn't about to fall to my death because I was too scared to grab someone's waist tightly.

Leilani turned to face me, laughing when she saw my obvious awkwardness. "Don't worry, you're not making me uncomfortable."

I chuckled, smiling in mild relief. Leilani turned around, then leaned forward to give her Charizard directions. Anabel gripped my waist in preparation, also cautious around any ride Pokémon of Leilani's.

Leilani was known for travelling at high speeds. I didn't expect any less from her, especially considering how much work she did across Alola. She was always off somewhere, helping the people of her region.

I took a moment as Leilani prepared to take off to study the area one more time. There was a brisk breeze now, rustling the plants and bringing them to life. More Pokémon were awake now, gathering berries for breakfast or playing in the tall grass. A few Pokémon were standing still, staring towards us in awe. It must have been the Charizard amazing them; most Pokémon in this area were weak, and probably had never seen a fully evolved Pokémon. I smiled, tempted to wave at them. How cute they were, small and—

Charizard took off. I got no warning beyond the slight bend of his knees before he shot into the sky. I shouted instinctively, unable to hold back the cry as the wind forced it out of my chest. The wind pushed me back into Anabel; she shifted around, trying to get her face out of my hair. I felt bad, but wouldn't dare move my body hundreds of feet above the ground.

My ears popped, making me wince in pain. I never learned; no matter how many times I flew with Leilani, I always forgot to bring gum to chew to help my ears.

The blur of greens disappeared from my sight suddenly, and everything was blue. We were over the ocean. Suddenly, I had a death grip on Leilani.

I looked at the water hundreds of feet below us, and suddenly I was holding down my lunch for dear life.

Leilani managed to turn and look at me, laughing loud enough for me to hear it faintly over the roaring winds. "He goes fast, huh?" she shouted

I nodded meekly, tightening my grip on Leilani. She pretended to choke from my grip, even pulling a hand off of Charizard and wrapping it around her throat with a dramatic facial expression. I smiled awkwardly, not letting myself laugh. I was not about to let the wind carry my lunch back to Anabel's face. I would never hear the end of it.

"You okay, Looker?" Leilani asked. "You look like you're about to vomit."

I gave a weak thumbs up, too nauseous to talk. Leilani laughed sympathetically and faced forward again. "Don't worry, we'll be there soon."

To my immense relief, she wasn't wrong. The seconds dragged on like hours in the air, but it wasn't long before a loud thud shook my ears and Charizard's feet were on the Aether Paradise. I collapsed off of the Charizard, groaning in pain as I hit the concrete ground. I wasted no time in getting up and running to the edge of the water. Goodbye, sweet lunch. You will be missed.

Anabel and Leilani made it all the towards the doors of the Paradise before I had even stopped bending over with my head facing the ocean. I hobbled back towards the group, hanging my head in embarrassment and slight shame.

Leilani laughed, patting my back sympathetically. "It's okay; I almost threw up this morning from the same thing."

"But I _did_ throw up!" I joked dramatically, weakly raising my fists towards the sky. "I'm a failure of a passenger!" I thought of collapsing to my knees, but I didn't have the energy to get back up. I would probably end up taking a nap if I laid down..

Leilani and Anabel chuckled, easing my anxiety. For a few silent moments afterwards, we watched as Charizard shot away. It took only a few seconds for the orange bullet to disappear over the horizon. Without a word, we all turned in unison and made our way into the Paradise.

The mission had finally begun.


	3. Chapter 3

Looker vomited the moment we landed.

I mumbled frustrations under my breath, crossing my arms impatiently as Leilani smiled sympathetically at my sick partner. After staying hunched over the edge of the Paradise for far too long, Looker gathered himself, turned around, and shuffled shamefully towards us. His head hung limp, pallid face and dull eyes trained on the ground. The day where Alola was in grave danger. The day where thousands of innocent lives could be lost. The worst part was that I knew he was going to be like that all day.

I felt a twinge of guilt in even waiting for Looker when there was anything but time to waste. People were in the face of danger—people could _die_ —yet I was standing idly at the base of the Aether Paradise. Looker's slowness was beginning to rub off on me. I couldn't let that happen.

The clock was ticking. I couldn't allow myself another slip-up.

The idea of teasing Looker played briefly through my mind, but I shoved it away quickly. I wasn't going to fall into Looker's trap. We had to go. I stayed silent. Leilani said nothing, sparing Looker the intensification of his embarrassment.

After taking too long to recover from the flight, Looker turned to Leilani and began joking with her. _Of course_ , I thought bitterly. _Of course he had to do this today._

Leilani gave into his trap, joking back and wasting precious seconds. They paid no mind to my tapping foot and growing irritation as they wasted precious seconds. I was beyond grateful to have the Champion on our team again, but I couldn't help but wish that she could be even half as dedicated as I was. I didn't want Leilani being influenced by Looker's bad etiquette.

Finally, their conversation fell flat and they grew quiet. I sighed audibly in relief, saying nothing to them. They both stared at me, waiting for directions. Finally.

Without another word, I pivoted on my heel and adopted a hurried pace towards the sleek white building dominating my vision. They followed silently behind me, struggling to keep up. I didn't care. That was their fault. We had to make up for lost time.

Once I knew that I was the one setting the pace, I began to move faster. By the time I reached the building's doors, I was basically running. I could feel a growing air of irritation radiating off of the other two, but that was their fault. If they hadn't wasted time, I wouldn't have to compensate for lost time. We could have walked comfortably if they didn't value stupid jokes over the lives of thousands.

I couldn't get over the shock of knowing how willing they were to waste time when Alola was in danger. They were both fully aware that the UB-04 Blaster was quickly closing in on Konikoni City—they both knew that they had no time to waste. But, did that matter to them? No. That terrified me.

I felt a fiery anger boiling in my stomach, my face flushing red as I remembered just how reckless those two were. The worst part was that it didn't even surprise me—not with Looker on the team.

I didn't know what was wrong with Looker. He was acting different. He was hiding something—something he valued over his duty. I didn't know what it was, but I had my suspicions. That was never an issue before Kalos. That never happened before the incident. Either that new Looker had a completely different personality than the Looker I knew, or he wanted to find what he lost in Kalos.

I didn't go on that mission with him, but I had heard enough from the International Police to piece together what had happened. The old Looker only valued serving the world. The new Looker... I didn't know what he valued.

Looker was still a kind man, and I appreciated his presence in my casual life. I couldn't ignore the fact, however, that he was growing less fit for his job with each passing day.

He couldn't leave us though—he had nothing. The International Police was his life whether he liked it or not, and I knew that. He would be nothing without us, and that was my burden to carry.

I came to a halt at the doors of the building, looking up to see just how microscopic I was compared to the Paradise. The building was almost tall enough to completely obscure the sky from my vision, attacking my eyes with a blinding white. Everything was white. Everything was the purest, most unsettling white I had ever laid eyes on.

The walls were white. The doors, locked shut like the doors of a prison cell, where white. The ground would be white if not for the stains of human filth littering it. Because of us, it was a murky off-white. It was impure.

Everything was white. I hated it. It was an odd, unnatural white, too clean for my eyes to comprehend. It made me feel uncomfortable, filthy.

"What business do you have with the Aether Paradise?" a middle-aged man piped up, eyeing us suspiciously from the guard post in front of the doors. He had an odd gaze, staring holes through me with his sharp, focused gaze. His eyes were a dull gray reminiscent of a void.

Something about his demeanor was unnatural as well. He felt like an alien.

I cleared my throat, planning my words before speaking. I wasn't used to someone making me feel that vulnerable, but I wouldn't allow myself to show that weakness. "We need to speak with Wicke. She knows that we're coming," I explained bluntly. I stifled a sigh, relieved that my words had spilled out without any mistakes. As far as he knew, I was invulnerable.

The man said nothing, moving his arm stiffly to pull out a white phone. He dialed a number quickly then pressed the phone against his ear, waiting patiently for the person on the other end to pick up. I could faintly hear ringing, but it was soon cut off by the muffled sound of Wicke's voice.

The man cleared his voice, taking a moment before speaking. "Ma'am, there's a group of people here to see you. Uh, one—one of them has lavender hair, the other two brown. Yes, uh—two girls and a middle-aged man. Older than me middle-aged."

Looker gasped in disdain, dramatically pressing his hand against his chest. He glared at the security guard, holding the offended gaze only because the guard was focused on me. He pretended to punch him, mouthing words that I struggled to make out. "Left hook" with the swing of his left arm, "right hook" with the swing of his right, and "knockout" with a flurry of dramatic punches. I stifled a laugh, looking away from Looker so I wouldn't laugh out loud. His shenanigans weren't slowing us down, so I found no harm in letting him amuse me.

"Okay, thank you, ma'am." The man finally brought the conversation to an end, hanging up the phone and placing it delicately back into his pocket. Without a word, he pushed the doors open and moved out of the way. I nodded firmly as I walked past him, startling him. It was hard not to chuckle as I entered the Paradise. Dominance asserted.

Walking into the Paradise felt like walking into another world. The area was littered with shades of pure, ethereal whites—whites so pure I feared they would blind me. Everything was drenched in those sickly whites, and everyone I could see worked so perfectly and efficiently that I questioned their humanity. Nothing about that place felt nice—it was far from a paradise.

We walked forward, suffocated by the Paradise's ubiquitous silence, and stopped only for the elevator. The elevator was on our floor, waiting for us as if it anticipated our presence. When we were a few feet away from it, the elevator's low walls, only a couple feet high, lowered for us. We walked on, and were immediately trapped by the same walls that let us in.

In the corner stood the elevator operator, an elderly woman with a blank gaze. Her eyes stayed unfocused, glancing in our general direction as she spoke.

"Where to?" said a quiet voice, spilling like silk out of her lips. I shuddered, seeing her lips stay still as she spoke. I felt so uncomfortable that I thought I would vomit.

"Wicke's floor," Looker said for me, forcing a polite smile. "Thank you."

The woman nodded slowly, rotating stiffly to the button panel, pressing a button. The elevator immediately woke from its dormancy, collapsing to the floor below us. My shock forced a sharp inhale and I wrapped my hand around the wall, taken aback by the elevator's sheer speed. I was used to the elevators at International Police headquarters—elevators so slow that you couldn't tell if you were moving at all.

Before I could fully comprehend the drop, the elevator came to a screeching halt and resumed its dormancy. We had dropped one floor almost instantly, and I was amazed. I shook that away, though, wasting no time before hurrying off the elevator. We had to find Wicke as quickly as possible.

I said nothing to the robotic woman, hurrying away. To my surprise, Leilani and Looker set the pace for me, almost jogging ahead of me. I smiled as I hustled to catch up, feeling my chest loosen in relief. They had been silent since we entered the building, and I took comfort in the belief that they were finally taking the mission seriously. Maybe then, we would make up for lost time.

I still couldn't shake the fear of how far behind we were, though. We didn't know where the UB-04 Blaster was; for all we knew, it could already be in Konikoni City. That terrified me, and not even the relief I felt from Leilani and Looker's sudden dedication could ease that.

We headed down a hallway to the left of the elevator, making fast progress down the ever-dimming hall. My vision grew more obscured with every step I took, and then, before I knew it, I could hardly see a thing at all. I put all my faith in hoping that the hallway was completely straight and didn't end with a wall.

"Guys, over here!" I tensed up, squeezing my eyes shut as the void was suddenly drowned with bright fluorescent light. I swung my head to the left, my eyes burning as I tried to open them and see who brought that light with them. My eyes met with the source of the light: Wicke, the bubbly personality that would provide us the only tool strong enough to resist the Ultra Beasts. She stood in the doorway of a room I hadn't previously noticed, waving us eagerly over.

We passed by her and walked into the small room behind her, shaking her had as we entered. She was the type of person that wraps both of her hands around yours when greeting you. That odd greeting felt strangely intimate to me, but left me feeling more welcome in her presence.

Wicke's pudgy face was filled with a hopeful gleam, her amethyst eyes sending a slow wave of calmness over me. Somehow, just her presence was enough to calm me, even in situations as dire as our mission. I loved being around Wicke.

"It's lovely to see you again," I whispered gently, meeting her soft gaze briefly before passing her and taking a seat in the small fluorescent room. The room felt cramped with all four of us in, but the nail in the coffin was when the heavy to slammed shut. I felt trapped, as if two cold hands had wrapped themselves around my throat. I thought I would suffocate.

The room, as expected, felt unnaturally clean. I didn't have any other way to describe it that otherworldly and unnatural. They had to have some intense procedure to keep the Paradise in that condition, and I hated it. I didn't belong in there. I was too dull, too dirty, too imperfect to put my grubby hands on anything. Even in hating the cleanliness of the Paradise, I couldn't bring myself to soil it.

"What's the plan, Stan?" Wicke said cheerfully, a picture-perfect smile plastered forcefully on her face. I couldn't tell if she was trying to lighten the mood, or if she really didn't care about Alola's imminent danger. I could only hope for the first.

"As I'm sure you've heard, the Ultra Beasts have reappeared," I started bluntly. "There's no nice way to put it. At least one UB-04 Blaster is rampaging heading directly towards Konikoni City. Its rampage, as far as we know, has yet to harm anyone, but that could change at any moment. There were more Ultra Beast sightings across Alola, but this one needs our immediate attention. We need at least ten Beast Balls in order to account for the possibility of multiple UB-04 Blasters."

Wicke nodded thoughtfully. "Alright-y I understand! Luckily, I still have some Beast Balls left over from the last time they appeared. I can give you those for now, and I will work to manufacture more before your return." She walked towards the corner of the room, bumping into me as she squeezed through us. She mumbled an apology as she pulled a small brass key out of her pocket, unlocking a small drawer and pulling out a handful of of Beast Balls. She immediately closed and locked the drawer, shoving the key back in her pocket with her one free hand before heading towards Leilani.

The balls were small, being in their shrunken state, so they were easy for Leilani to store in her small bag. Leilani mumbled a thank you to Wicke, zipping her bag up once she confirmed that the Beast Balls were hidden safely away.

"Alright, we need to go now. There's no time to waste," I ordered, letting Leilani and Looker head out ahead of me. I followed behind them,but stopped before I reached the door. I turned to Wicke, smiling gratefully.

Wicke wrapped her hands around mine, smiling sadly at me. "Stay safe, okay?"

I closed my eyes for a moment, nodding slowly. "I will."

I smiled at her once more, hesitating. I sighed, knowing I had to go. I pulled my hands back, turning to face the door. As I walked out of the door, I looked over my shoulder. "See you soon."

And then I was gone, catching up with my partners and rushing back towards the elevator. My heart was fluttering—I didn't know if I was worried or flustered, or a combination of both. I slowed my breathing, calming myself down as I stepped back onto the chilling elevator.

I crossed my arms as the elevator wordlessly rose to the main floor, tapping my foot impatiently. Years passed between Wicke's floor and the main floor, and I felt like a new person by the time we reached the ground floor. I couldn't tell if I was impatient, if the world was against my hurry, or if the elevator rose slower than it sank.

I was already walking towards the edge of the elevator before it came to a full stop. "Leilani, call Charizard now. We can't waste anymore time."

Leilani silently complied. I sighed in slight relief, rushing towards the door. I could see the sun's shine from the elevator, so hopeful and orange that it almost felt scary against the bland Paradise. Still, the orange couldn't help but seem dim against the forest of fluorescent white. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust when we got outside.

The sky was growing obscured by clouds—it seemed like a storm was looming. I prayed that it was a different case in Konikoni City, banking my hope on the distance between the Paradise and Konikoni City.

Before I finished observing the weather, my thoughts were interrupted by the loud _thud_ of Charizard slamming into the ground a few feet to my left. I mentally thanked Leilani for making him so fast—he took a minute tops to fly from who-knows-where to our exact location. He was infinitely useful in a mission like ours.

"He's here!" Leilani proclaimed, finally eager to get going. I nodded contently, hurriedly hopping behind Leilani onto Charizard's back. Leilani and I got comfortable, then turned to watch as Looker took his time crawling onto the Pokémon.

"Hurry up, Looker," I ordered.

"Sorry," he grunted, "I'm just not looking forward to throwing up again."

I rolled my eyes at his excuse, grabbing him by the waist and attempting to hoist him up. He was too heavy for me to lift on my own, but my action prompted him to move faster. He groaned, pushing me away from Leilani and sandwiching himself between us. I sighed, wrapping my arms around his waist as I prepared for the flight. Looker clung to Leilani, already paling.

"To the south entrance of Konikoni City, please," I heard Leilani request as she rubbed the Ride Pokémon's head gratefully. The Pokémon nodded, immediately rocketing away from the Paradise. It felt like a weight the size of Alola was lifted off of my shoulders as we left that cursed place.

Even over the scream of the wind, I could her Looker's nervous groans. I blocked the noise out, focusing on devising a strategy for the mission. By the time we landed, I had devised a few different plans that I would solidify once we knew the Ultra Beast's location.

The flight there was short, and I was sliding off of Charizard before I knew it. Looker didn't throw up this time, but he looked lightheaded. I prayed he wouldn't pass out.

I glanced around curiously, taking in what information I could. The first thing I noticed was that the area was silent, unnaturally so. Silence outside a city known for its rowdy citizens was never good. Konikoni City was never quiet—not even in the deepest hours of the night. Something wasn't right.

"This doesn't feel right," Leilani murmured, as if reading my mind. "This place is never quiet. There's always music blasting, if anything."

She was right. The lively city's silence terrified me. Beyond that, no one seemed to be outside; Konikoni was known for being a crowded city. Had the Ultra Beasts already driven them out? No, that couldn't be the case. It couldn't be. I didn't know what I would do if it was. The International Police promised to tell us when they reached the city. All I could hope was that they had evacuated as a precaution.

"Hey, help!" I flinched at the voice, withholding a yelp as I searched for the source. Finally, I found it: a small boy poking his head timidly out of a shop just beyond the entrance. He couldn't have been over seven years old.

I walked up to him swiftly, smiling reassuringly. "Hey, sweetie. Do you know where everyone is?"

The boy nodded meekly, gesturing feebly all around the town. "They're hiding. Some monsters came in the town. My big brother said they weren't registering on his Pokédex. I don't know where they are now. Are they evil?" He was shaking.

I patted his head gently. "Yes, they're the bad guys. But don't worry, you won't be hurt. You've got someone very special fighting them for you. The Champion has come to scare off the monsters for you! You're safe here."

The boy's eyes came to life, fired up with an innocent hope. He jumped up and down, clenching his fists and bobbing his head in excitement. "The Champion! The Champion will save me! Thank you, miss!" he cheered happily before retreating to the back of the shop.

I sighed, dropping the comforting façade glancing fearfully at Leilani and Looker. The situation was so much worse than I had hoped.


End file.
